Some Junk I've Been Working On
Including—quite possibly—the funniest thing I've ever drawn.
What’s up, everybody?! Long time, no newsletter. That’s on me. But I’ve finally been given the green light to share about a few things I’ve been working on. So let’s not beat around the bush and dive right in!
BIBLE COMICS
For the past year, I’ve been working on a new series of graphic novels called Bible Comics which will be published through First Second Books (I’m super excited to continue my relationship with them)! This series will focus primarily on the story and teachings of Jesus as told through the four Gospels, but we’ll be telling these stories through the unique perspective of the bystanders to these events. I’m not gonna sit here and pretend like we’re breaking new ground when it comes to comics based on Bible stories, but I can say that I’m very proud of the work we’ve done so far. The first book is well into production, and the second book is being shaped up as I write this. Both stories—while very familiar to those of us within Christianity—contain a ton of heart and humor that I like to think sets our offering apart from other graphic attempts.
This project is also the first time I’ve ever handled the writing duties while someone else creates the art. I was a little apprehensive about writing a comic I wasn’t going to draw, but, so far, the experience has been amazing! We’ve got a fantastic team working together on these books. Louie Chin (pencils), Alison Acton (inks), and Kendall Goode (colors) are creating some unbelievable art! Jessica Lamb is making sure I don’t write anything heretical, and Ivan Taurisano is ensuring that the stories work well in comic format. And, at the top, Calista Brill is keeping us energized with her gracious encouragement and overall excitement for this project!
The first book rolls out in Fall of 2027 with the second book following soon after in Winter/Spring 2028.
DOCTOR PROCTOR’S FART POWDER
Simon & Schuster is reprinting Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder by Jo Nesbø, and I was honored to be asked to provide the cover. This is my second time working with the fabulous Laura Lyn DiSiena, and I think this might be the best cover I’ve ever drawn. It’s certainly the funniest!
To get the party started, Laura sent me a copy of the book for reference. Then she gave me a handful of ideas to sketch up and encouraged me to lob in a few of my own. There was one particular scene in the book that conjured the visual you see here. It took forever to sketch it up because I kept having laughing fits. My wife and kids were giving me so many worried looks, and when I showed them what I was working on they started laughing, too! I had a feeling that S&S would want to move forward with one of the other, tamer sketches, but I was ecstatic to find out they loved this one. I’m really happy with how it turned out and I can’t wait to see it on bookshelves!
I have no idea when this book comes out. Sometime this year, I believe.
SIDENOTE: Having professional conversations about what fart clouds should look like was an experience unlike any I’ve had in my twenty-plus years of cartooning.
BOOK PITCH
I’ve been working on a pitch for a new middle grade graphic novel series, and my agent (the wonderful Jennifer Azantian) is getting ready to put it out on submission. This is very exciting and very terrifying. But mostly exciting. Regardless of whether or not it’s well-received by publishers, I think it’s some of my strongest work and that it has a ton of potential. Hopefully there’s an editor who agrees.
Here’s a little peek at some sample pages:
Hope all of you have been well! Thanks for joining me on this ride and for cheering me on! As always, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email!
Talk soon!
Wes, not going to lie, as great as everything you posted here is, I am pretty excited to share that image with my boys, both still be in the age of fart conissuer-ism. That a word? should be. Congratulations across the board. Looking forward to engaging in all of this.